[Federal Register: August 17, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 158)] [Notices] [Page 44685] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr17au99-23] ======================================================================== Notices Federal Register ________________________________________________________________________ This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency statements of organization and functions are examples of documents appearing in this section. ======================================================================== [[Page 44685]] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service [Docket No. ST-99-005] Notice of Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently Approved Information Collection AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request an extension for and revision to a currently approved information collection in support of the Regulations Governing the Plant Variety Protection Act. DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by October 18, 1999. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann Marie Thro, Commissioner, Plant Variety Protection Office, Science & Technology, AMS, USDA, NAL Building, Room 500, 10301 Baltimore Boulevard, Beltsville, MD 20705- 2351, (301) 504-5518, or Fax: (301) 504-5291. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Regulations Governing the Application for Plant Variety Protection Certificate and Reporting Requirements under the Plant Variety Protection Act. OMB Number: 0581-0055. Expiration Date of Approval: February 28, 2000. Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved information collection. Abstract: The Plant Variety Protection Act (``PVPA'') (7 U.S.C. 2321 et seq.) was established ``To encourage the development of novel varieties of sexually reproduced plants and make them available to the public, providing protection available to those who breed, develop, or discover them, and thereby promote progress in agriculture in the public interest.'' The PVPA is a voluntary user funded program which grants intellectual property rights protection to breeders of new, distinct, uniform, and stable seed reproduced and tuber propagated plant varieties. To obtain these rights the applicant must provide information which shows the variety is eligible for protection and that it is indeed new, distinct, uniform, and stable as the law requires. Application forms, descriptive forms, and ownership forms are furnished to applicants to identify the information which is required to be furnished by the applicant in order to legally issue a certificate of protection (ownership). The certificate is based on claims of the breeder and cannot be issued on the basis of reports in publications not submitted by the applicant. Regulations implementing the PVPA appear at 7 CFR part 92. Form ST-470, Application for Plant Variety Protection Certificate, Form ST-470 series, Objective Description of Variety (Exhibit C to Form ST-470P), and Form ST-470-E, Statement of the Basis of Applicant's Ownership, are the basis by which the determination, by experts in the Plant Variety Protection Office (PVPO), is made as to whether a new, distinct, uniform, and stable seed reproduced or tuber-propagated variety in fact exists and is entitled to protection. The application form would be revised slightly to clarify that applicants may specify not only that the variety be sold only as a class of certified seed (Foundation, Registered, or Certified) but that the applicant may specify a limitation on the number of generations within each class. The information received on applications, with certain exceptions, is required by law to remain confidential until the certificate is issued (7 U.S.C. 2426). The information collection requirements in this request are essential to carry out the intent of the PVPA, to provide applicants with certificates of protection, to provide the respondents the type of service they request, and to administer the program. Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 4 hours per response. Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit, not-for-profit institutions, and Federal Government. Estimated Number of Respondents: 116. Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 3.49. Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1691 hours. Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Lashawn Smith, Plant Variety Protection Office, at (301) 504-5518. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the collection of the information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments should reference OMB No. 0581-0055 and be sent to: Ann Marie Thro, Commissioner, Plant Variety Protection Office, Science & Technology, AMS, USDA, NAL Building, Room 500, 10301 Baltimore Boulevard, Beltsville, MD 20705-2351. All comments received will be available for public inspection during regular business hours at the same address. All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of public record. Dated: August 11, 1999. William J. Franks, Jr., Deputy Administrator, Science and Technology. [FR Doc. 99-21302 Filed 8-16-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-02-P